I think it significant that DFW quotes Abraham Lincoln who himself was an American martyr for liberty. I wish DFW would have quoted his Benjamin Franklin source. The war for possession of WWFD(what would the founders do) is itself ennormously interesting. Lastly i think it fitting that Sam Harris and Tim LaHaye also contributed commentary in the issue of the Atlantic both of whom represent a/religous extremes(humoursly S.H.'s "God Drunk Society" and T.L.'s "Godless Society" were positioned next to each other)